I am looking to take an intensive 1-month CELTA course here in the UK over the summer with a view to applying for jobs in the foreign classroom soon after. However my financial situation is uncertain and I may not complete my CELTA untill perhaps the end of summer.

Am I right in assuming that an academic year beginning in September is the norm the world over? More importantly, could anyone offer some obervations on my chances of securing a job outside of the pre-September hiring period? I am flexible (and eager to get away, frankly) but I am also willing to wait until the end of the year, with a view to picking something up to start in January perhaps?

I am hoping to get work somewhere in South-East or North-East Asia but this is just a preference.